1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a collapsible kayak, in particular a kayak which, when collapsed, can be easily converted into a structure resembling a backpack frame for carrying on a person's back.
2. Prior Art
Collapsible kayaks are well known and several designs have been commercially available for many years. Some of the better known types are assembled from a plurality of disconnected stringers and formers which are joined together with latches and clamps to form a relatively loose framework, in which bow and stern halves are temporarily hinged together amidships. The skin is usually a one piece skin having bow and stern-shaped pockets and a central upper opening adjacent the cockpit structure. The opening receives the two halves of the framework, sometimes separately, which halves are then rigidly connected together inside the skin. In some designs an over-centering means or an equivalent stretches the skin to form a relatively taut skin around the framework. Commonly the skin is strained somewhat to provide a reaction to force on the framework and thus is an integral structural part of the kayak, that is, without the skin the kayak frame has insufficient rigidity.
Such designs of kayak when disassembled result in a large number of disconnected pieces and require a considerable time to re-assemble, and require skill and care in following the instructions. It is not unusual to accidently loose an important piece when disassembled. If the boat is to be transported in its collapsed state at least two bags are required, one of the bags containing the stringers, formers, fasteners, etc. of the framework, and the other bag containing the skin. Whilst such a kayak has the advantage of being collapsible for fitting in a confined space, for example into an aircraft flying into the wilderness, these structures are usually not designed primarily for easy carrying on a person's back.